Hinge



y 194@ s. B. TWOOD 2,200,440

HINGE Original Filed March 15, 1937 JIIIIIIIII Patented May 14, 1940PATENT OFFICE '2,20o,44o I HINGE Seth B. Atwood, Rockford, Ill.

Original application March 15, 1937, Serial No. 130364. Divided and thisapplication February 17, 1938, Serial No. 190,923

14 Claims;

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.130364, filed March 15, 1937.

This invention relates to improvements in hinges, and is particularlyconcerned with improved ball-and-socket hinges especially designed forthe doors of motor vehicles.

In my parent application referred to above, I outlined the advantagesflowing from the use of ball-and-socket hinges as compared with the oldstyle pintle hinges, which are, briefly, that the necessity for accuratealignment is eliminated, the door swings freely on the two-pointsuspension afforded by two ball-and-socket hinges, and since the bindingaction traceable to pintle misalignment is eliminated, wear is reducedand door rattling due to such wear is no longer experienced. One of theprincipal objects of my invention is to provide a ball-and-socket hinge,the socket member of which is 'formed from one piece of sheet metal toprovide an attaching shank portion, angular connecting portion, and arounded socket portion, the socket member being of channel-shapedcross-section for strength and rigidity. i Another important object ofmy invention is to provide a ball-and-socket hinge, the ball head memberof which is of gooseneck form, thereby offsetting the ball-headedextremity in relation to the attaching shank portion, so that angularadjustment of the gooseneck portion adjusts the ball head in relation tothe shank in adapting the hinge to a given door installation.

A still further object is to provide an improved ball-and-socket hingein which provision is made so that in the closing of the one-piece sheetmetal socket member to enclose the ball head, the marginal portions ofthe socket may be bent inwardly farther than would otherwise bepermitted, so as to have the ball head fitting more'closely in thefinished socket.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which-Figs. 1 and 2 are two views of a ball-and-socket hinge made inaccordance with my invention;

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the hinge of Fig; 1;

Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal sectional detail of the hingeillustrating a tensioning spring in the socket; i

Fig. 5 is a similar section showing spring actuated tensioning meanshoused in the ball head, and

Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal section through a hinge similar to thatshown in Figs. 1 and 2,' but with a modified form of ball head andmodified form of socket member;

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughoutthe views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, 2l designates the door, and 22 thepillar, but it Will soon be evident that it is immaterial whether thesocket member 5 23 and ball head member 24 of my improved balland-sockethinge are mounted on the door and pillar, respectively, or vice versa.The ball head member 24 is formed in one piece to provide a ball head 25on the end oi a fiattened attaching 10 shank 26. An ofiset reducedgooseneck 21 joins the head to the shank and locates the head so thatthe door can open through approximately 90 without interference betweenthe neck 21 and the socket 28. The latter is formed on the ex- 15tremity of the angled outer end portion 29 of the socket member 23,which, as shown, is iormed from a single piece of sheet metal. The shank30 has marginal fianges 3! bent outwardly therefrom for reenforcement.These fianges are coextensive with the wider top and'bottom walls 32 ofthe angular outer end. 29. In other words, the channeled cross-sectionis continued throughout up to the socket 28, and the hinge membertherefor has the desired strength and rigidity. The angular end 29tapers from the width of the shank down to the diameter of the socket28, as clearly appears in Figs. 2 and 3, and this affords the additionalwidth in the walls 32 required in the closing of the socket on the ballhead when 30 'a' blank of substantially uniform width is used. The widthof the blank is such that there is sufiicient stock to wrap aroundor'envelop the ball head 25 through approximately 270, as clearlyappears in Figs; 2 and 3. To begin with, of course, 'the socket 28 willbe only partially completed to i a'substantially half round orhemisphericalform with the opposed walls 32 projecting outwardly fromthe socket tangent to the ball head,'and then the interfitted parts willbe placed'between dies and the socket' portion 23 of the 'member 23 willbe closed on the ball head with the right working clearance for smoothand easy operation. The shank 26 of the ball head member 24 has holes 33through which cap screws 34 are passed to fasten the member to thepillar 22. Holes 35 'are provided in the shank 30 to receive cap screws'36 for fastening the socket member 23 to the door 21. Reenforcinganchor plates 38 and 39 are shown in the door 2l and pillar 22, andthese are provided with tapped holes to receive the cap screws in themounting of the hinge on the car.

It should be clear from this description that I have provided anextremely practical form of *baILand-socket hinge for the doors of motor5 vehicles, and one which can be produced at low cost so as to becompetitive with the old style pintle hinges. This hinge lends itself tovery easy assembling on doors and pillars of. cars as now constructed.With reasonable accuracy in the location of the tappecl holes in theplates 38 and 39, the door will fit fairly accurately and operate easilyas soon as the hinges are fastened. The ofifsetting of the ball heads 25in relation to the shanks 26 permits quick and easy adjustment of thedoor to center it in its opening and align it with the outside of thebody by angular adjustment of the gooseneck portion 21. cificConstruction shown, this would be done by the workman in the assemblyline at the automobile factory taking a tool to bend or twist thegooseneck so as to bring the ball 25 on either or both hinges closer toor farther from the door 2! 4 or above or below the normal substantiallyhorizontal plane of the goosenecks, or forwardly or rearwardly from theinitial positions thereof, whereby to adjust the door accordingly in thedoor opening for centering and alignment. The door Will Swing freelybecause the ball heads 25 are swiveled in the sockets 28 for universalmovement and the adjustment referred to cannot disturb alignment,because each ball head determines a single point suspension, and the twopoints thus determined by the two hinges on a door establish the hingingaxis of the door. In the specific hinge shown, this axis is located in apredetermined spaced relation to the outside of the body so that thereis ample clearance between the door and the curved outside of the bodyto allow the door to open and close freely. Inasmuch as the necessityfor accurate alignment has been obviated with the present hinge and thebinding efiect that went with misaligned pintles is eliminated, wear isgreatly reduced and longer life assured. Reduction in wear is fur'- therdue to the lower unit-bearing pressure obtained with the ball heads asCompared with the pintles. Easy operation indefinitely can be assured ifa sufiicient amount of hard grease is applied to the ball heads 25 atthe time the hinges are assembled.

Referring to Fig. 4, the ball head member 24 has its ball head 25hearing in the socket 28a of the hinge member 23a, wherein a circularrecess 40' is provided containing a spring Washer 41'. This Washer bearson its smaller circumference in the recess and with its largercircumference on the ball head and is compressed sufliciently in theassembling of the ball head in the socket to maintain the head underspring tension throughout the life of the hinge, so as to eliminate playand provide an automatic take-up for wear so that there should never beany noticeable door rattling. The hinge may be otherwise constructedlike the one of Figs. 1 to 3.

Referring to Fig. 5, a coiled compression spring 42 is shown inserted ina radial bore 43 provided in the ball head 252), and a button 44 havinga rounded or spheroidal face is held in engagement with the inside wallof the socket 28 under the pressure of this spring to eliminate playbetween the ball and socket and aord an automatic takeup for wear.

The hinge of Fig. 6 resembles the hinge of Figs. 1 to 3, but is designedto allow for "spring back of the metal in the forming of the walls toclose the socket upon the ball head. In the event it is desired to usesheet metal of such heavy gauge or having such characterstics that thespring back after forming would result in too In the spei much playbetween the ball and socket, I propose forming the ball head in themanner shown in Fig. 6 to avoid this difiiculty. The head 25c shown herehas a relieved portion 46 which is concentric With respect to the restof the ball head and bounded by an annular shoulder 41'. This relievedportion permits edge portions of the walls 32a in the closing of thesocket 28a upon the ball head to be bent inwardly farther than would bepermitted if the ball head were a complete, true sphere, and hence whenthe dies open and the walls 32a spring back the usual amount, the socket280 is more nearly truly spheroidal and the ball head will accordinglybe confined with the desired small amount of. working clearance. Inpassing, it will also be noted that the walls 320, are widened as at 32bto provide top and bottom cover flanges closing the space between theangular end portion 290 and the outside of the body. These cover flangesimprove the appearance of the hinge by Concealment of the otherwiseexposed portion of the other hinge member 240, and also aflordprotection for the ball and socket. i'

It is believed the ioregoing description conveys a good understanding ofthe objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims havebeen drawn with a view to covering all legitimate modifications andadaptations.

I claim:

1. A hinge comprising a pair of hinge parts having a universal swivelconnection, said parts comprising attaching shanks, one of said hingeparts having a ball projecting therefrom carried on an adjustableangular gooseneck extension disposed in a plane transverse to therelated attaching shank the angularity of ,which extension in relationto the shank determines the Operating relationship of the two shankswith respect to one another, and the other of said hinge parts i havinga socket projecting therefrom open laterally in the direction of thefirst-named attaching shank and adapted to receive and retain theaforesaid ball with a swivel fit, the gooseneck extension being movablethrough the socket opening which is of sufiicient width to permitadjustment of the ,gooseneck transversely to the hinging movement of thehinge parts relative to one another, the socket being carriedon a,hollow angular extension on the other attaching shank, the

latter extension being adapted to receive the gooseneck extensiontherein in a certain position of the hinge parts relative to oneanother.

2. A hinge comprising a pair' of hinge parts having a universal swivelconnection, said parts comprising attaching shanks constructed forfastening to substantially parallel vertical surfaces on a door and itssupporting pillar, one of said hinge parts having a ball projectingtherefrom and carried on an adjustable angular gooseneck extensiondisposed in a substantially horizontal plane transverse to the relatedattaching shank the angularity of which extension in relation to theshank determines the Operating relationship of the two shanks withrespect to one another, and the other of said hinge parts having asocket projecting therefrom open laterally in the direction of thefirst-named attaching shank and adapted to receive and retain theaforesaid ball with a `swivel fit, the gooseneck extension being movablethroughthe socket opening which is of sufiicientwidth to permitadjustment of the sion on the other attaching shank; the latter'extension being adapted to receive the gooseneck extension therein in acertain position of .the hinge parts relative to one another, thegooseneck extension' and hollow extension both adapted to extendlaterally in the same direction relative to the joint line between thedoor and pillar. I

,3. In a hinge, a ball member and a socket member connected in a balland socket swivel joint, the ball member comprising an attaching shankportion having an angularly adjustable gooseneok thereon in a planetransverse With respect to said shank carrying a ball head on the endthereof in laterally ofiset relation to the shank portion the angularityof which gooseneck in relation to the shank determines the Operatingrelationship of the two shanks with respect to one another, the socketmember comprising a body formed to provide a fiat attaching shankportion having a hollow extension of channel shaped cross-sectionopening into a socket at the outer end thereof in laterally ofifsetrelation to the shank portion, said socket being open laterally in thedirection of the first-named shank portion and formed to enclose andretain the ball head with freedom for relative angular movement betweenthe socket and gooseneck through a predetermined range, the gooseneckbeing movable` one another, and said hollow extension receiving' andenclosing the gooseneck in a certain position of the ball memberrelative to the socket member.

4. In a hinge, a ball member and a socket member connected in a ball andsocket swivel joint, the ball member comprising an attaching shankportion having a gooseneck thereon in a substantially horizontal planecarrying a ball head on the end thereof in laterally offset relation tothe shank portion, the socket member comprising a one-piece sheet metalbody formed to provide an attaching shank portion having a hollowextension also in a substantially horizontal plane of channel shapedcross-section carrying a socket portion on the end thereof in laterallyoffset relation to the shank portion, the walls of said socket portionbeing a continuation of the walls of the channel-shaped extension andbeing formed to retain the ball head with freedom for relative angularmovement between the socket and gooseneck in a substantially horizontalplane through a predetermined range, and said hollow extension receivingand enclosing the gooseneck in a certain position of the ball memberrelative to the socket member.

5. A hinge as set forth in claim 3, wherein said hollow extension onsaid socket member shank is of tapered form longitudinally, widening-away from the socket, whereby to permit changing the angularrelationship of the gooseneok extension to the related shank to adjustthe position of the ball head correspondingly, while still permittingentry of the gooseneck extension in the hollow extension.

6. A hinge as set forth in claim 4, wherein said hollow extension onsaid socket member shank is of tapered form longitudinally, wideningaway from the socket, whereby to permit changing the angularrelationship of the gooseneck extension to the related shank to adjustthe position of the ball head up or down correspondingly, while stillpermitting entry of. the gooseneck extension in the hollow extension.

' 7. As an' article of manufacture, 'a sheet metal socket member for aball and socket hinge comprising a one-piece body formed to provide afiat attaching shank portion and a channel shaped extension integraltherewith opening at its outer end into the side of a ball socketportion, the latter being adapted to receive a ball head carried on a,shank, the marginal edge portions of the walls of said socket portionbeing curved inwardly to retain the ball head, and the socket portionand channel-shaped extension opening into the side thereof togetherbeing adapted to afford clearance for the aforesaid shank to permitapproximately relative movement between the ball head and socketportion.-

8. As an article of manufacture, a sheet metal socket member for a balland socket hinge comprisinga one-piece body form'ed to provide anattaching shank portion and a channel shaped extension integraltherewith and terminating in a socket portion, the channel portion beingof tapered form longitudinally widening away from the socket portion.

9. As an article of manufacture, a sheet metal socket member for a balland socket hinge comprising a one-piece body formed to provide a fiatattaching shank portion and a channel shaped extension integraltherewith and terminating in a socket portion adapted to receive a ballhead therein carried on a shank, having enclosing flanges which are acontinuation of the side walls of the channel-shaped extension adaptedto retain the ball head in the socket portion, said socket portion beingopen in communication with the end of the channel-shaped extension,whereby the socket portion and channel-shaped extension together areadapted to afiord clearance for the aforesaid shank to permitapproximately 90" relative movement between the ball head and socketportion.

10. A hinge of the character described comprising a 'ball head memberhaving an attaching shank and a ball head projecting outwardly therefromand connected with the shank by a neck portion, and a socket memberformed from sheet metal to provide a fiat attaching shank portion and anangular portion formed to generally channel-shaped cross-section, thechannel-shaped portion having its extremity further conformed so thatthe trough of the channel and the opposed flanges thereof envelop andretain the ball head and define a socket therefor wherein the ball headis operable with a swivel action. r

11. A ball and socket hinge of the character described, comprisingshank: portions lying in parallel juxtaposed relation in the'closedposition of the hinge, a ball head on one end of one of said shanks, theother shank being flat and being made from a single piece of sheet metalformed to provide a channel shaped extension opening into a socketportion at one end receiving the aforesaid ball head for universalhinging movement, said socket portion having the marginal edge portionsthereof projecting inwardly around the'ball head so as to: retain thesame.

12. A ball and socket hinge of the character described, comprising shankportions lying in parallel juxtaposed relation in the closed position ofthe hinge, a ball head on one end of one of said shanks, the other shankbeing made from a single piece of sheet metal formed at one end toprovide'a socket portion open in the direction of the first shank and.adapted to receive 75 said ball head, said socket portion'havingmarginal portions projecting inwardly around. the ball head in thesocket to retain the same, said head being recessed on one side towardthe open side of the socket to provide a substantially spheroidalsurface of a, reduced radius in relation to the radius of the rest ofthe ball head.

13. As an article of manufaoture, a hinge member comprising an elongatedsheet metal body providing a substantially fiat shank portion and havingthe middle and opposed marginal edge portions at one end defining thewalls of a socket portion adapted to receive therein the end of anassociated hinge member adapted to be connected therewith for hingingmovement of the two members relative to one another, and strengtheningand stiffening Webs conneoting the shank and. socket portions the sameprojecting inwardly from the marginal edge portions of the -body portionintermediate the shank and socket portions and extending in convergingtransverse planes from the longitudinal edges of the shank portion andforming continuations of the adjacent walls of the socket portion.

14. A ball and socket hinge of the character described, comprising shankportions lying in parallel juxtaposed relation in the closed position oftheehing'e, a ball head on one end of one of said shank, the other shankbeing flat and being made from` a singe piece of sheet metal formed'toprovide a channel-shaped extension opening into a socket portion at oneend receiving the aforesaid ball head for universal hinging movement,said socket portion having a portion projecting inwardly around the ballhead so as to retain the same.

SETH B. ATWOOD.

I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent Ne. 2,200,LlLO. I May 19140.

SETH B. ATWOOD.

It ie hereby eertified that errqr appears in the printed specficaton ofthe above numbered patent requiring eorreetion as follows: Page 5, second column, line 30, claim 9, before "having" insert --and the socketportion--; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this'corretion theren that the same may confonfi to the record of the cae inthe Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 2nd da of July, A. D. 19140.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

